temper ley



No. 6l5,370. Patented Dec. 6, I898.

J. TEMPERLEY.

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING BOPES 0F ELEVATED CARRIERS.

(Application filed Apr. 20, 1897.) (No Model.)

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Patentd Dec. 6, I898.-

EMPERLEY. MEANS FOR SUPPORTING RDPES 0F ELEVATED CARRIERS.

(Applicltion filed Apr. 20, 1897.)

3 Shasta-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Patented Dec. 6, I898. .I. TEMPERLEY. MEANS .FOR SUPPORTING ROPES 0F ELEVATED CARRIERS.

(Application filed Apr. 20, 1897.)

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NITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOSEPH TEMPERLEY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,370, dated December 6, 1898.

Application filed April 20, 1897.

To all whomit ntcty concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH TEMPERLEY, engineer,a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, of The Temperley Transporter Company, 72 Bishopsgate Street Within, in the city of London, England, have invented certain new and useful improved means for supporting the hauling or traveling, lifting, and other ropes or chains in apparatus for raising, lowering, and conveying or transporting loads, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing an inclined cable transporter provided with rope supports or carriers constructed in accordance With my said invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing one form of my improved rope-carrier. Fig. 3is a front eleva-' tion of the said rope-carrier. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the parts in a difierent position. Fig. 5 is a side elevation illustrating another form or modification of my said invention. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 7 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, and Fig. 8 a front elevation, illustrating a further modification of my said invention; and Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a still further modification thereof.

My invention relates to improved means for supporting the hauling or traveling, lifting, and other ropes or chains in apparatus for raising, lowering, and conveying or transporting loads. 1

My said invention is applicable to apparatus in which the hauling or traveling ropes or chains serve also for raising and lowering the load, and also to wire-rope railways, aerial railways, and the like, in which auxiliary ropes or chains are used for hauling load-carriages or travelers along overhead cables or tracks or for like purposes and to similar apparatus.

In apparatus of the kind or class above referred to the hauling or traveling, lifting, and other ropes or chains as they are paid out require to be supported at suitable intervals, more especially in cases where the traveler has to move through a long distance, and such support is usually furnished by means Serial No. 632,956. (No model.)

of rope supports or carriers,'whioh in some instances are distributed at suitable intervals along the track as the traveler moves in one direction and are taken up by or moved back with the said traveler in the movement thereof in the reverse direction. I can utilize the weight of the said ropes or chains in various ways for the purpose above mentioned.

As Wire ropes are usually employed in apparatus of the kind referred to, I will hereinafter describe my invention as applied to apparatus in which one or more of such ropes are used. Idesire it to be clearly understood, however, that my invention is likewise applicable where chains or other analogous means are used in place of the ropes.

In one form of my improved apparatus the said carriers are so constructed and arranged in conjunction with the traveler and the cable or track and with one or more ropes, as the case may be, that when through the paying out of the said rope or ropes the weight thereof, or of either of them, acting upon the rearmost carrier becomes sufficient for the purpose it will cause the said carrier to take hold of or bear against the cable or track, so that such carrier will remain stationary and will serve as a support for the said rope or ropes, and in like manner when the said rope or ropes have been further paid out to a sufficient extent the weight of that portion thereof, or of either of them, between the said carrier and the next succeeding carrier will cause the latter to take hold of or bear against the cable or track, and so on. Thus in the movement of the traveler along the said cable or track each of the said carriers will in turn be automatically brought into action to serve as a support for the said rope or ropes as and when such support becomes necessary, the said carriers being automatically distributed along the cable or track at intervals determined by the weight of the said rope or ropes, or of either of them, as the same are paid out. The said carriers will, moreover, as the said rope or ropes are drawn in to haul the traveler along in the reverse direction be automatically and successively released from the ICO cable or track either by the reduction of the weight acting upon them or by the action of the returning traveler.

In another form or modification of my improved apparatus the weight of the said rope or ropes is utilized to dislodge, unlock, or re- 'lease the said carriers successively as required. For instance, the said carriers are so arrangedin combination with an independent spring-supported pulley that the weight of the rope or ropes acting upon the said pulley will effect the dislodgment or release of the carriers successively from a bar or other support attached to the traveler or to the terminal of the cable or track. In other instances the said carriers are coupled or connected to each other or to the said traveler or terminal by automatic couplings, latches, or hooks in such a manner that they will be successively disconnected or uncoupled by the weight of the said rope or ropes or either of the same, and as the traveler moves back the said carriers will be automatically coupled or connected.

In another modification of my improved apparatus the carriers are so constructed and arranged in combination with the cable or track and with the rope or ropes that when brought into action by the weight of the said rope or ropes they will take hold of the latter and will be thereby moved along the cable or track, as required. In some cases I provide a device at the terminal end of the cable or track for retaining the said carriers at that end, but which will permit them to be successively dislodged or released when they take hold of and are pulled along by the rope or ropes.

Referring to the drawings, A is the traveler, which is supported by means of rollers or wheels B on the cable C.

D .is the lifting or hauling rope.

E E are the rope-carriers, of which three areshown in Fig. 1.

F is a terminal pulley over which the lifting or hauling rope D is passed to a winch G or similar appliance.

The rope-carrier shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, which is designed for use on an inclined cable or track, comprises a frame a, provided with wheels or rollers 17 1), whereby it is supported and runs upon the cable 0. A brakelever or clamping-lever c is pivoted at c to the said frame, and springs 01 are connected at one end to the said clamping-lever at c and at the other end to pins 6, fixed in the frame a. A bar or frame f is suspended from the clamping-lever 0, being coupled thereto at c and in the lower end of the said bar or frame f is mounted a pulley g. The lifting or hauling rope D is passed through the frame f above the said pulley g.

Assuming that the traveler A is at or near the upper end of the cable 0, Fig. 1, then as the rope D is paid out and the traveler moves down the inclined cable the carriers E will follow the said traveler in its movement along the cable. \Vhen through the paying out of the rope D the weight of the portion thereof between the terminal pulley F and the rearmost carrier E becomes sufficient for the purpose, the bar or frame f of the said carrier will be pulled down by the weight of the said rope acting upon its pulley g, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and the corresponding lever a will thus be turned about its pivot in such a manner that the cable 0 will be tightly gripped between the said lever and the adjacent wheel or roller 79, as shown in Fig.4. The said carrier will then remain fast to the cable and serve as a support for the lifting and hauling rope D, as shown in Fig. 1, during the further forward or downward movement of the traveler along the cable. When through the further paying out of the rope D the weight of that portion between the carrier thus fastened to the cable and the next carrier becomes sufficient for the purpose, the next carrier will in like manner be fastened to the cable 0 and will serve as another support for the rope D, and so on. It will be seen that when a carrier E is thus fastened to the cable 0 any tendency to further forward movement of the said carrier along the cable will cause the clamping-lever c to grip the cable more tightly by reason of the friction between the cable and the said lever. In the upward or return movement -of the traveler along the cable as the weight of the rope D is lifted off each pulley g in succession the springs 01 of the corresponding carrier will pull the brake-lever or clamping-lever 0 thereof away from the cable C, and thereby release the said carrier, so that it will be moved back along the cable with the traveler.

To keep the series of pulleys g at all times approximately parallel with the part of the cable immediately above the same, notwithstanding the varying inclination of the cable, the traveler A is provided with asupplementary carriage A, Fig. 1, pivotally connected thereto, as hereinafter more particularly described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which can be used either with an inclined cable or with a horizontal cable, a bar or spear H extends backward from a supplementary carriage A, which is pivotally connected at A to the traveler A and which is provided with a roller or wheel B, running upon the cable 0, and the carriers E are supported upon the said bar or spear H. In place of this bar or spear I can provide the supplementary carriage A with any other suitable support for the rope-carriers E. Each of the carriers E is provided with a clip j at its upper end, adapted to engage with the cable when the carrier is pulled off the said bar or spear, as hereinafter described. Each carrier is also provided with a roller k,whereby it is supported upon the said bar or spear H, so that its clip j is held up out of engagement with the cable, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6. The axle 7c of each roller 7:, ex-

tends through slots f in .the bar or frame f of the carrier and is held down at the lower end of the said slots by springs Z. \Vhen in the paying out of the lifting or hauling rope the tension of these springs Z is overcome by the weight of the paid-out portion of the said rope acting upon the pulley g of the carrier, the frame f is pulled down, so that the clip j engages with the cable, and as the traveler A, with its supplementary carriage A and bar or spear H, continues its forward movement the said carrier is left attached to the cable to serve as a support for the lifting or hauling rope. The several carriers are thus distributed automatically and successively along the cable at intervals determined by the weight of the paid-out portion of the rope D. The bar or spear H- is inclined at its rear end, so that in the return movement of the traveler it'will successively pick up the carriers and disengage them from the cable.

By reason of the varying inclination of the cable or track at different points throughout its length it is necessary to provide means for keeping the bar or spear H always approximately parallel with the part of the cable for the time being adjacent thereto. This result is effectually attained by the employment of the supplementary carriage A, as this carriage, being plvoted to the traveler A, will change its position relatively to the said trav eler according to the varying inclination of the cable or track as the traveler moves along the same in either direction.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8 each of the carriers E is provided with an automatic coupling hook or latch 0 pivoted at c to the frame a and adapted to engage with a pin m in the adjacent carrier or in an arm or bracket extending from the supplementary carriage A, as the case may be. The coupling-hook c is made with an arm a, from which is suspended the bar or frame f, carrying the pulley g, suitable springs 01 being provided for causing the said hook c to engage with the pin m. The said hook 0 may, if desired, be adapted to clamp the cable between it and the adjacent roller or wheel I) of the carrier, as above described with reference to the lever c. The supplementary carriage A serves in this arrangement to keep the series of pulleys g at all times approximately parallel to the part of the cable immediately above the same, notwithstanding variations in the inclination of the said cable.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and Sis useful either with an inclined cable or with a horizontal cable, the coupling-hook being adapted to clamp the cable in cases where the latter is inclined. When in the forward movement of the traveler the weight of the paid-out portion of the rope D becomes suflicient for the purpose, it pulls down the frame f of the rearmost carrier and turns the coupling-hook 0 thereof about its pivot, thereby disconnecting the said hook from the pin m of the adjacent carrier and at the same time gripping the cable. The several carriers are thus automatically distributed or spaced along the cable as required to serve as supports for the rope D. In the return movement of the traveler as each carrier E is relieved of the weight of the rope D its springs d cause the depression of its hook c", and in the further rearward movement of the traveler the pin m on the supplementary carriage A or on a carrier E, attached thereto, as the case may he, raises the said hook and slides beneath the same, the springs d then pulling the hook down into engagement with the said pin. Each carrier is thus automatically uncoupled from the traveler in the forward movement thereof and coupled thereto in the rearward or return movement thereof, the said carriers being successively attached to or left upon the cable or track at intervals determined by the weight of the paidout portion of the rope D. K

When the carriers are to be drawn along the track from the terminal thereof by the lifting, hauling, or other rope or ropes as and when required, I find it advantageous to construct the said carriers, as shown in Fig. 9, with a clamping-lever n, pivoted at 'n to the bar or frame f, carried by the lever 0 so that it will act in conjunction with the pulley g to seize or clamp the rope D. This clampinglever n is connected by rods or links 19 to the frame a. r

The coupling-latch c is provided with a pin 0 adapted to engage with a hook q,'fixed on the adjacent carrier or on the terminal of the track, as the case may be. A spring d is arranged in the frame f and is attached at one end to the said frame and at the other end to the frame a for the purposes of holding up the said frame f, keeping the clamping-lever at out of engagement with the lifting or hauling rope, and holding the pin 0 in position to engage with the hook q.

When the framefof a carrier E is pulled down by the weight of the paid-out portion of the rope D acting upon the pulley g to automatically uncouple the said carrier, the lever "a will simultaneously be turned about its pivot 71., so as to clamp the said rope D between it and the pulley g, and in the further paying out of the said rope the said carrier will be drawn by the same along the cable or track. In this manner the spacing of the carriers will be automatically effected as required.

It is obvious that my improvements are applicable in cases where but a single rope-support or rope-carrier is used as well as in cases Where two or more of such supports or car riers are employed.

I do not confine myself to the particular" forms of construction above mentioned, as

there are other ways in which I can utilize the weight of the said rope or ropes for the purpose of causing or determining the distribution or spacing of the rope supports or carriers.

What I claim is 1. The combination of an overhead cable or track, a load-carriage or traveler thereon,

a rope extending from said traveler, rope supports or carriers movable along said cable or track, and a weighing and controlling device actuated by a definite weight of thepaid-out rope, whereby said rope-carriers are automatically distributed or brought into action as and when required for supporting said rope.

2. The combination, with an overhead cable or track, a traveler movable along the same, and a lifting or other rope extending tending from it, of rope supports or carriers movable along said cable or track, and an automatic weighing and controlling device comprising relatively-movable members connected together by a spring and adapted, in the movement of the traveler along said track, to be relatively displaced by a definite weight of the paid-out rope, whereby said carriers are brought into action as and when required to serve as a support for said rope.

4. A rope support or carrier adapted to move along an overhead cable or track on which is arranged a traveler having one or more ropes extending therefrom, which rope carrier or support is provided with an automatic weighing and controlling device,whereby, when the weightthereof attains a predetermined value,said carrier will be automatically brought into action, substantially as hereinbefore described.

5. The combination, with an overhead cable or track, a traveler thereon, and a rope attached to said traveler, of a rope support or carrier movable along said cable or track and provided with an automatic fastening device actuated by the weight of the paid-out portion of such rope and by springs,whereby said carrier is secured to the cable or track and released therefrom as required, substantially as,and for the purposes,above specified.

6. The combination, with an overhead cable or track, a traveler thereon, and a rope extending from said traveler, of a rope support or carrier movable with said traveler and normally held out of engagement with said cable or trackand adapted to be'disconnected or dislodged from the traveler and secured to the cable or track by the weight of the paidout portion of said rope, substantially as, and forthe purposes, above specified.

7. The combinati0n,with aload-carriage or traveler for use on an overhead cable or track, of a supplementary carriage pivotally connected to the said traveler, substantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore described.

8. The combination,with a load-carriage or traveler for use on an overhead cable or track, of a supplementary carriage connected to said traveler and a support for the rope-carriers, attached to said supplementary carriage,substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.

9. A rope support or carrier adapted to move along an overhead cable or track and comprising relatively-movable members connected together by a spring, a pulley connected with one of said members for supporting a lifting, hauling or other rope attached to a traveler on said cable or track, and a gripping or fastening device actuated by the relative displacement of said members, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.

10. In combination, a track,a traveler, flexible means for actuating the traveler extending therefrom, and a support for said means brought into action by the Weight of a portion of the same.

11. In combination, a traveler, flexible means for moving the same, a support for said means, and a track for said support, said support being brought into active operation by a definite weight of said means.

12. A rope-support having a clutch operated by the weight of paid-out rope.

13. In combination, a traveler, flexible means for operating the same, a support for said means having a clutch operated by the weight of a portion of said means.

14. In combination, a track, a body moving over said track and having a clutch therefor, means connected to said body, said clutch operated by the weight of said means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH TEMPERLEY.

Witnesses ALFRED DONNISON, JNo. TEMPERLEY. 

